Preterite /Imperfect Review

1. Preterite/Imperfect Review Sra. Kuonen Warren Central High School Rkuonen@warren.k12.in.us

2. English Connection Present-tense Past-tense He talks He talked ÉlhablaÉlhabló

3. Preterite/Imperfect Preterite Review • The preterite is used for one time, past, completed actions. Actions that have a specific beginning and ending are usually in the preterite also. • For regular verbs ending in –er and –ir, the endings are: -í -imos -iste -isteis -ió -ieron • Preterite endings for regular –ar verbs are: -é -amos -aste -asteis -ó -aron

4. Irregular Preterite • There are several irregular preterite verbs. These forms can be found on pages R34-R36 of your book. • Spelling change preterites are found on page R32. • There are several website where you can learn more about the irregular preterite forms. Here are a few: • www.classzone.com • www.studyspanish.com • ¡Practiquen! • Remember that “irregular” means that it does not follow a pattern. These verbs need to be MEMORIZED!

5. Imperfect • For –ar ending verbs, the endings are: -aba -ábamos -abas -abais -aba –aban • For –er and –ir verbs, the endings are the same: -ía -íamos -ías - íais -ía -ían There are only three irregular imperfect verbs, ir, ser, and ver. Their forms can be found on page 203 of your text book.

6. Contextual Clues If you first learn the endings for each tense well, then memorize the irregular forms of each tense. This will make it much easier when you are learning the difference between the preterite and imperfect tenses. Sometimes, there are clues in sentences to help you decide which tense to use. Look for words like: • Ayer - yesterday • Anoche – last night • Estamañana – this morning • These words imply that the action happened one time, so you would use preterite. If you see terms like: • a veces - sometimes • los jueves - onThursdays • always – siempre • The action is repeated, use imperfect.

7. Imperfect Review • Remember the acronym W.A.R.P.T. to remind you of when to use the imperfect tense. Weather Age Repeated and ongoing actions Physical and mental descriptions Time When you describe things or talk about actions with no definite ending, use the imperfect tense.

8. Ongoing Actions • No definite ending point is stated • Often translate to the past progressive tense in English (she was eating, they were working, etc.) • Examples: • Los niñosmiraban la televisióncuando el teléfonosonó. • The children were watching TV when the telephone rang. miraban (on-going) sonó (1 time, completed) • Yococinabacuandoellallegó. • I was cooking when she arrived. cocinaba (on-going) llegó (1 time, completed)

9. Descriptions • If a physical or mental description is given in the past, use the imperfect. • Examples: • Me sentíamuyfeliz. • Los niñosestabanmuycansados. • Cuandoteníaochoaños, Elena eraalta.

10. Repeated Actions • If an action happened habitually in the past, the imperfect is used. Often there is contextual clue showing that the action was repeated. • Túsiemprecantabas. - You always used to sing. Context clue! • Mariana y sufamiliaiba a la playa todos los veranos. Context clue! Since they used to go to the beach every summer, it is an imperfect action.

11. Telling time, Age • Spanish uses the verb “Ser” with time. If the time is given in the past, the imperfect of “ser” is used. • Use “Eran” for every hour but 1. • Eranlastres. – It was 3:00. • Eranlasdiez y veinte. It was 10:20. • Era is used if the hour is 1. • Era la una y media. – It was 1:30. • Era la unamenosdiez. – It was 12:50 (Ten ‘till one). • To say how old someone was use the imperfect forms of “Tener” Tenía 3 años. – She was 3. Teníamosdiezaños. – We were 10. Cuandoéramosjovenes – when we were young.

12. Práctica • Los niños (jugaron / jugaban) mucho en el parque. • Tú (aprendiste / aprendía) la lecciónayer. • Yo (tuve / tenía) cuatroaños. • Mi mamá y papá me (compraron / compraban) unacomputadoranueva la semanapasada. • Enrique y yo (fuimos / íbamos) al cine los viernes. • (Hizo / Hacía) mucho sol.

13. Respuestas • Los niñosjugaban mucho en el parque. (repeated action) • Túaprendiste la lecciónayer. (specific time-yesterday) • Yoteníacuatroaños. (age) • Mi mamá y papá me compraronunacomputadoranueva la semanapasada. (specific time – last week) • Enrique y yoíbamos al cine los viernes. (repeated – on Fridays) • Hacía mucho sol. (weather description)